12 questions with Andy Raine

Why did you join Freehills (as was)? 

Like much in life, the reason was a mixture of design and luck. Design, as I wanted to do my articles of clerkship (as it was then called) at a firm with global reach and impact. Freehills had a growing Asia-Pacific practice and that excited me. And luck, because I was interviewed by a partner who had a strong interest in surfing. I am originally from Brisbane and he spent 70% of the interview peppering me with questions about which Queensland beaches had the best waves! 

What drew you to work in the field of environmental law? 

I’ve always been fascinated by - and connected to - the majestic wonder and centrality of our natural environment. At university, a friend suggested I join her in doing an elective on environmental law. It was a brand new course that many of us hadn’t heard of… including the lecturer unfortunately! That said, I quickly took to it and my passion for the field has grown over the last two decades of my career. The environment underpins our economies and all life support systems, from the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. If societies can’t find a sustainable way to manage biodiversity and nature then we don’t have much hope of having flourishing economies for future generations. 

Why did you move from private practice to the UN? 

I have a purpose-driven agenda for my career, which is to do everything I can to help societies and countries find sustainable solutions to shared environmental challenges. My time at Freehills helped me learn more about the practice of environmental law and the important role of different actors, from corporations to governments to financial institutions to civil society. When a role at the UN came up I decided to apply as it was an opportunity to learn more about international environmental governance and how it works, as imperfect as it can sometimes be. I’m also a globalist by nature, with a strong curiosity in how different cultures and societies interact and can find compromise and commonalities when needed.

To what extent has your practice as an environmental lawyer helped you in your current role?

Enormously. My time in private practice gave me important skills that help me today. Freehills gives its lawyers a grounding that can help in any future organisation. Skills like how to draft clearly and quickly, how to issue-spot, the importance of finishing a task to completion, and ensuring work is 100% accurate. I also learnt the importance of integrity and how it should never be compromised. As a junior lawyer at Freehills I was working on a planning dispute for a client who was clearly in the wrong. Despite the pressure I was under, the partner backed me unambiguously in ensuring that the right thing was done by the client, as difficult as the conversations were. Ultimately, the client came to understand and respect our advice. 

Do you feel that governments, businesses and individuals need to be compelled to adjust their behaviour, backed up with the prospect of punishment if they don’t, or is it better to encourage them to “do the right thing”? 

There are many levers of change, ranging from law and regulation, policy, cultural norms, religious movements, and others. In some countries environmental change has benefitted from significant penalties and/or criminal sanctions in relevant regulatory frameworks. In others, this hasn’t always worked in the long term, especially in the context of circumstances where the perpetrators had no choice. What’s clear is that in all countries I’ve worked in, businesses and societies need and call for transparent, fair, and equally and consistently applied “rules of the game”. This benefits everyone and will ensure the clean energy and nature-positive transitions we need are just and sustainable. I also think that the focus should be more on systems and less on individuals. 

What role do you think law firms, such as HSF, can play to influence others to act as responsible corporate citizens? 

Law firms like HSF have a very important role. You are trusted advisors to some of the world’s largest companies and financial institutions. These businesses are at the forefront of the transitions to a net zero and nature-positive future. They need legal advisers to help navigate risks and make these changes and investments credible, just, and sustainable. It’s a complicated task, and the more smart lawyers we have working on these issues the better.